Lufthansa buying the Etihad shares in Air Berlin and Alitalia?

[sn26567]

This looks like explosive news.

According to Der Spiegel, Etihad is tired of its investments in money-losing Air Berlin and Alitalia, and has approached Lufthansa to sell its shares in these two airlines. In exchange, Etihad would participate in a capital increase of Lufthansa and acquire 10% of its shares.

Strange, as Air Berlin is a member of oneworld and Alitalia a member of SkyTeam. Furthermore, Etihad's competitor Qatar Airways is a major shareholder of oneworld leader IAG and will probably not like that Air Berlin switches alliances.

Will Lufthansa become a European behemoth? Future will tell...

http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/untern ... 27146.html

[sn26567]

aviator.aero is presenting the issues a little differently: Etihad seeks shares from Lufthansa in exchange for transferring its shares of Air Berlin. Lufthansa is also expected to pick up at least 10% stakes in Alitalia and Air Serbia, if the deal agreed to.

[ticketbuyer]

I think a LH-AB tie-up would create a German monopoly that would have problems with the EU competition authorities.
There has been talk of a LH-AZ deal for a few weeks.
At 05.00 this morning(22.12) AZ got a 180 million Euro bail-out. The new business plan is, yet again, to expand long-haul and reduce short-haul.
Recently our old friend Michael O'L offered to help AZ by feeding their FCO and MXP hubs using FR.
Coincidentally(?) FR are also building new bases at FCO and MXP.
Ryanair to Fumicino then A320Neo to Africa? Less back-tracking and lowest costs. What a business plan.